On a day-to-day basis, community association managers juggle a challenging array of responsibilities in order to keep their communities running smoothly and residents happy.

Fortunately, we don’t work in a vacuum. And contrary to those occasional media barbs about tyrannical boards, recognitionis owed to the huge cadre of volunteers whose behind-the-scenes work makes that juggling act successful.

Often, managers and board members seem to run on parallel tracks, intersecting at monthly and annual meetings, or when problems arise. Then there are those special cases — with special people who touch our lives beyond the board room. In the past few years, I was honored to be askedby three families to provide eulogies for trustees who were recognized by their peers as superstars within a group of volunteers that are already stars.

This summer, as I gave the third eulogy I realized that my life had in fact been changed by these special people. These people lived their lives according to their beliefs. They knew their priorities and livedlife as if they were responsible for making a difference here on earth.

Each of these individuals is part of whatis now called the “Greatest Generation.” For those who want more insights into the life and times of these special people, please read the book, “The Greatest Generation,” written by Tom Brokaw, the well-known TV anchorman. In it, he gives America and the world insights into some of the Americans who survived the overwhelming economic woes of the great Depression and then beat back the march of fascisms in Europe and Asia.

What makes a great board member? Certainly, it is not simply a matter of age, but those whose eulogies I gave shared that life experience. Their histories cannot be replicated by the next generation of volunteers, but their spirit and dedication can certainly be used as a roadmap.

As I reflect on the most special of the hundreds of Trustees I have worked with in my 20 years in and around the condo management industry, Pat Cote is part of that larger story. Mrs. Cote's story is woven into the story of America in the 20th Century. She was part of the first generation of women who made Hillary Clinton's run for the presidency plausible.

She was part of the generation of women who were denied access to the educations they wanted because of their sex; her family would only pay for Pat’s education in nursing — not education, which was her first choice. Yet in the end, she “only” graduated Harvard twice. She graduated John Hopkins’s as a nurse and then went on to Harvard for her masters and PhD, for teaching — all the while raising a family, practicing nursing and later, teaching full time.

She was part of the first generation who lived long enough to be “young” in retirement, traveling to every continent at least once, yet accomplishing this on a modest teacher’s pension and the savings she and her late husband put aside so they could travel upon their retirement.

She was modern enough to use e-mail, but never forgot to send over a hand-written thank you note, often with some homemade jam.

On any day, she could be seen pruning flowers or making notes about the conditions of the garden plots at her Ashland, Massachusetts community association. With no outdoor spigots at the property, she lugged water buckets to satisfy thirsty plants. As chairperson of the Grounds Committee for nine years she was always looking for ways to save her association money, such as growing plants from cuttings instead of buying them new. And she was always, always thoughtful — bringinghot coffee to workers in the winter and a word of praise for a job well done.

Pat had a truly unique mix of skills, passion, humility and energy. Although we reflected different ages, religions and political orientations, in essence, she became part of my family. We connected in ways that are not typical of the condo manager-volunteer relationship.

While Pat’s generation may in fact be the greatest, the legacy of her generation, the legacy of public service in civic organizations, lives on today in community associations across the nation.

While there are many — too many — news articles about the negative impact of problematic unit owners, from gadflies who challenge every move of the association to the anarchist who challenges the very need for any rule associated with common living, there are just too few articles aboutthe majesty of being involved with condominium management.

Yes, that is not a typo, the word was “majesty.” I am happy to be speaking of the beauty of working with atypical people.

In a cynical world, in which most people are too busy, in which there is a constant assault on the very values that we all claimto believe are timeless, those of us who work in and around the field of condominium management are blessed to be around some truly special individuals.

In a world where employers bemoan how hard it is to find hard-working employees, we are working with people who volunteertheir limited time, without any financial compensation.

In a world full of apathy, where so few step up to lead at the Boy/Girl Scouts or any of hundreds of organizations that we all know are helpful in society — because they’re too busy to help out — we work with special volunteers every day.

In a world full of people who support our troops — as we know that freedom is in factnot free — 50% or more of Americans don't take the 10 minutes needed to vote once every four years. Yet we have board members who spend two to five-plus hours every month reading background material so that they can make educated decisions. They are people who walk the walk, not just talk the talk. These are the people who lend truth to the cliché, “if you want something done, give it to someone who is already busy!”

Who are these superstars? Condo trustees! Managers, cherish them. Home-owners, emulate them. Carry on the legacyof this great generation of volunteers.